Window frame



E. J. HARDTKE WINDOW FRAME May 28, 1929.

Filed Nov. l2, 1924 BY mMMw/k/lm.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT "oFFlcl-z. f

EDWARD J.' 'HARDTKEL 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIG-NOR T0 SEAMAN BODYCORPORATION, FA MILWAUKEE, WISGON SIN, A CORIEORA'JIION 0F WISCONSIN.

WINDOW FRAME.

application med' November 12, 1924. seria; No. 749,362.

This invention relates to improvements in vwindow frames and moreparticularly to window frames such as are now used exten;-A

sively in the construction of motor vehicle e bodies of the vso-calledsedan or convertible typesa It is common practice to provide the doorsof automobile bodies of this type with dis' appearing windows. Theframes of these 1o windows in composite bodyy construction such as thoseemploying a super-structure of wood with sheet metal outer constructionare usually formed by the side rails of the door. With the advent of theso-called all-metal bodies, however, it became a problem in certaintypes of construction to provide a window frame which could be made upas a separate unit and applied to a door in such manner that theassembly would be possessed of the required strength and rigidity.

One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide animproved window frame which may be made up as a separate unit andapplied to an automobile door in such manner that the same will form arigid part thereof.

Other objects and advantages relate-more particularly to theconstruction of the window frame per se, the manner in which it isassembled, and the means whereby the win? dow glass retaining andguiding cushions may be mounted in the frame and held therein againstdisplacement.

Various other objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings whereinone form of the invention is illustrated.

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of portions of the improved windowframe; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section' on line 3--3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. L tis an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Fig. 5; z

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, showing the improved window frame applied tothe door of a motor vehicle body; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, the window frame has been shown mounted in conjunctionwith a` door of all-metal construction, but it will be readilyappreciated that the invention is not limited in its usefulness to suchspecific application, but on the other'hand might be employed inconnection with doors generally, regardless of the 4particular vconstruction thereof or of lthe 'material of which they are made.v l iThe window frame in the present embodiment of the invention is fixed tothe door and :the window pane is jslidable up and down therein.

The improved window frame is .shown combined with a s'heetmetal door 1coinprlsmg a front panel'2 having the'side edges -3 and 4t thereof bentover the edges of sheet metal side members 5 and 6, respectively, asshown in Fig. .4, the inner portions 7 and 8 of the side members beingbent inwardly for givlng greater rigidity -to the door and for providingmeans for attaching the vertical window frame members thereto as herein-`after explained.

The door structure per se forms no part of the present invention and isonly shown and described with suiiicient )clearness to enable thoseskilled in the art to understand the manner in which the improved windowframe may be applied to automobile doors of this type.

The vertical side members of'Jt-he frame will first be described,referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4. Vertical melnber 9 ispressed from sheet metal and,as preferably constructed, comprises amember 10 of U-s'hape or channel shape in cross section having flanges11 and 12, and a complementary member 13. Member 9 is placed against theinwardly'extending portion 7 of. side member 5 and secured thereto invany suitable manner such as by soldering or spotfwelding, themember'extending downward-v ly through the greater-portion ofdoor 1 sothat Ait is adequately supported thereby, the 95 member in effect beingan integral and rigid part of the door. A tubular reinforcing member 14which is rectangular in cross-section is inserted between flanges 11 and12 and pressed against the bottom portion or web 15 of the member 10,the webV being pressedV inwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 4- to provide adove-tail groove 16 extending v the entire length thereof for thepurpose hereinafter explained. l

The edge of liange 12 is offset and'bent to provide ahead 17 which ts asimilar bead 18 pressed from member 1 3 when the latter is insertedbetween flange 12 and reinforcing member 14. Flange 12 has suflicientresili- 110 eney'to-permit bead 18 to snap into interlocking relationwith bead 174while at the same time holding 1t securely 1n position and`against accidental displacement. The outer Aadjacent edge of the windowpane 22, as

shown in Fig. 4.

The vertical member 23, as preferably constructed, is pressed from asingle piece of sheet metal to form a tubular member substantiallyrectangular in cross section, two of the faces of said member beingpressed inwardly to provide dove-tail grooves 24 and 25 similar togroove 16 formed in member 9 above described.

One side 26 of the tubular member is extended to provide a retainingflange 27 for the Lfelt strip 28, the strip being shaped to receive 011eedge of'pane 22. The edge 29 of flange 27 is bgnt inwardly at an acuteangle thereto to form a lip for holding the felt strip in position. Theother edge 30 of the member is bent ata right angle to side 31 thereofand secured in any suitable manner such as by soldering or spot-weldingto side 26. Member 23 is secured to side 6 and the inwardly extendingportion 8 thereof in any suitable manner, portion 8 extending beyondside 31 to form with flange 27 a channel for receiving felt strip 28.Flange 27 extends the entire length of member 23, whereas portion 8 ofthe door, of course, only extends to the top edge thereof. Some means,therefore, must be provided and arranged opposite flange 27 to form theother wall of the channel for the felt strip 28 -above the top edge ofthe door. For this purpose a plate 32 having the edge 33 thereof bentinwardly at an acute angle thereto, similar to edge 29 of flange 27, maybe secured to the upper half of member 23, as shown in Fig. 2, the platebeing provided with a dove-tail tongue 34 which fits within groove 25 tohold the plate securely to member 23.

The upper horizontal member 35, as preferably constructed, is pressedfrom a single piece of sheet metal to form a substantially U-shapemember having flanges 36 and 37, the edges 38 and 39 of the flanges,respectively, being bent inwardly at acute angles` thereto to form lipsfor retaining the felt strip 40-inposition in the channel formed by theflanges, the felt strip being shaped to receive the upper edge of pane22, as shown in Fig. 3. A U-shape reinforcing member 41 is insertedbetween flanges 36 and 37 and interlocked with member 35 by means of theedge 42 of member 41, this edge being bent inwardly, as shown, andforced back of the 24, respectively, the strips extending from the upperends of the members to the top edge of door 1. The lower portion ofgroove 25 below the top edge of the door may.l be used for holding inplace the adjacent edge of the wood panel or backing 47 which supportsthe actuating mechanism for the window, the lock and other accessories(not shown) which may be applied to the door,

this edge of the panel being provided witha suitable T-shape tongue tosnugly fit the groove. When this lower portion of groove 25 is used forholding the adjacent edge of panel 47 in position, portion 8 is made toterminate short of the groove so that the` same is not covered thereby.The panel then forms with flange 27 the channel for receiving thatportion of felt strip 28 lying below the upper edge of the door.

In placing pane 22 in operative position in the frame, a side edgethereof is inserted into the felt strip 28, as shown in Fig. 4, and feltstrip 21 applied over the opposite side edge thereof. The pane is thenswung inwardly about felt strip 28 as a center until strip 21 restsagainst flange 10 and reinforcing member 14, as shown in Fig. 4, thefelt being hooked under lip 20 of vthe flange.

Member 13 is then inserted between flange 12 and member 14 and forcedinwardly, flange 12 yielding sufficiently to permit bead 18 to snapunder bead 17 thereof whereby member 13 interlocks with member 9 andforms with flange 10 a retaining channel for felt strip 21. Lip 19 ofmember 13 acts with lip 20 to hold the felt strip in position. The panemay be readily removed by removing strip 13. y

The lower edge of pane 22 may be provided with the usual connection 48for cooperation with the actuating mechanism (not shown) for raising andlowering the pane in the manner well known in the art.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a window frame has been providedwhich may be built up as a separate unit and rigidly applied to anautomobile door. The improved window frame also permits of ready removalof the pane should occasion arise.

While the window frame has been shown and described as a separate unitsecured to the door, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatthe side edge members of pressed from sheet metal and constructedsubstantially in accordance with rthe resent invention, as defined bytheclaims. n this case the improved window frame will be an integralpart ofthe'door, each side edge' member of the door and the corresponding sidememberof the'frame being one and the same part.

Various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may beadopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A window frame comprising side and top members, one of said memberscomprising a member substantially channel shaped in cross section havingflanges of unequal length, the shorter ofsaid fianges being providedwith aA bead at the edge thereof, a reinforcing member arrangedintermediate said flanges, and a complementa-1y member inserted betweensaid shorter fiange and said reinforcing member and arranged to formwith the longer of said fianges a channel for receiving an edge of awindow pane, said complementary member being provided with a beadarranged to interlock with said first-mentioned bead whereby Ythe sameis held in operative position.

2. A window frame comprising side and top members, one of said memberscomprising a member substantially U-shaped in cross section having theweb thereof pressed inwardly forming a shoulder, and a second membersubstantially U-shaped in cross section arranged in reverse positionwith respect to said first-mentioned member and between the flanges ofthe latter, a flange of said second member interlocking with saidshoulder, the -anges of said first-mentioned member extending beyondsaid second member to provide a channel for receiving an l edge of awindow pane.

3. A window frame including a member having a substantially tubular bodyportion whereby it is self-reinforcing and having an integral extensionconstituting a retaining flange, a complementary member having a portionconstituting a. cooperable retaining flange, the tubular body portionhaving an undercut way therein and the complementary member having acorrespondingly formed tongue thereon for securmg the members together.A

4.A Window frame including a member consisting of a single piece ofsheet metal so shaped as to be provided with an integral reinforcementand with an integral retaining flange, a complementary member'having aportion constituting a cooperable retaining `vflange and also having anattaching portion,

and means on the reinforcement ,co-acting with lthe attaching portion onthe complementary member for positively securing the members together.

5. In combination, a metal door having a.

metallic front panel and metallic side memv cured thereto one of theside members'of i the window rame having a removable retaining fiange,and means for positively, although releasably,v securing the retamlngflange in position.

6. In combination, a metal door having a metallic front panel andIangular side members of meta-l rigidly connected to the front panel, anda metallic Window frame having side members positively,` rigidly anddirectly secured to the angular side members of the door, one of theangular sidel members of the door having `a portion constituting aretaining flange for one of the side members of the Window frame.

7. A. window frame comprising side and top members, one of said memberscomprising a resilient member substantially U- shaped in cross section,a tubular reinforcing member inserted between the flanges thereof and asubstantially Hat complementary member inserted between one side of thetubular member and the adjacent flange of said substantially U-shapedmeinber, said complementary member and its engaging flange havinginterlocking means contiguous with the tubular reinforcing memberwhereby the tubular reinforcing member coacts with the resilientU-shaped member to releasablysecure the complementary member inposition.

8. The combination with a door, of Window frame members secured theretoadja- .mg flange.

9. In a window frame, a self-reinforcing member having a portion ofsubstantially tubular form, and a complementary member, one of saidmembers having a4 groove in the face-thereof, the other of said membershaving a tongue adapted to co-operate with the groove to secure the twomembers together, each of said members having a flange thereon, saidflanges co-operatingwith the `por tion of tubular form to provide achannel for supporting the edge of a Window pane.

l0. In a metallic door structurehaving a panel section and side members,window guides fitted in the door structure between said side members andextending above the same, said side members being formed to providefastening means for holding said guides in position and one of said sidemembers forming a part of one` of said guides.

4 ammi 11. A door structure including 'a panel, tendingfbelow the upperedge of said panel window frame members extexfdihgabove and and meansvlon said panell complen'lentary to A below the upper edge of said paneland sesaid last namedjlange providing a eontinu- 10 cured thereto, oneof said members having ation of said' pane guide.

5 two flanges thereon, both extending above v In-witnesszwhereof Ihereto'aflx mysgthe uppervedge of said panel for providing nature. 'l':a pane guide .and one of' said flanges ex- EDWARD J'.HARDTKE.

